Mountain lodges and cabins

When walking the hills or tackling some of the tougher mountains, it is always good to rest and recuperate at one of Slovenia’s 170 or so mountain lodges and cabins. Clean and orderly, but sparsely furnished, hikers are always welcome here during bad weather or darkness, even when they are full. The hospitality of the mountain lodges and cabins is reflected in their superb homemade food. A number of lodges are open all year round.

Slovenia’s mountains and hills are full of hikers, who love to stay at mountain lodges and cabins, not least because of the friendly, open-minded company you always find there.

A number of mountain lodges and cabins in the upper reaches of the mountains have no drinkingwater, and are supplied with rainwater only. It is similar with electricity, which some cabins produce for themselves using small motorised generators or solar panels.

Food and drink can be delivered daily to the cabins accessible by car and cable car, while supplies to the others are less frequent, resulting in more modest services at these cabins.

From asceticism to comfort

Accessibility, provisioning and the general level of the facilities are just some of the criteria used to assess mountain cabins, which are awarded one of three ratings. To summarise:

- a I rating is given to cabins with infrequent provisioning, and difficult access at high altitude, primarily with dormitories

- a III rating is reserved for cabins and lodges that are well-equipped, supplied every day, with easy access in the lower reaches of the mountains

The level of comfort of any particular cabin will be in keeping with its rating. If you decide to stay at a cabin, you should remember that not all of them are always open. In these instances you can always spend the night in the cabin provided that you get the key for the winter room.

The price of food and drink and the price of staying in the cabin itself depend on its rating. Fee-paying members of the mountaineering society get a 50% discount. The same discount is available to members of foreign mountaineering associations with whom Slovenia’s mountaineering society has a reciprocal agreement.

Green thinking

In Slovenia there is great environmental awareness among visitors to the mountains and hills, and refuse should never be forgotten on mountain trails. Most mountaineers do not even leave biodegradable organic material behind.

“Everything that you bring with you to the mountains, you take back to the valley” is the simple rule. This is equally true of mountain lodges and cabins. The friendly operators will not mind if you leave your refuse in their bins, but they will always appreciate those who leave refuse in bins in the valley.